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Artifact is back for another year! With an exciting programme of events and lectures planned over the next academic year, here’s our Co-Chair, Ros Pearce to tell you what we aim to create and why she got involved.

The Imperial College Union is once again teaming up with the Royal College of Art, in an exciting opportunity to promote communication and collaboration.

Artifact works like this: following a series of social events, scientists and artists from each college form partnerships. Taking inspiration from each other, these partnerships will work together to submit a proposal for the Artifact summer exhibition, to be shown at both Imperial and the RCA.

As a Scientist perhaps you would like the opportunity to explore your work creatively. Your work may have emotive or aesthetic value that you had not previously considered. Maybe you feel that your area has the potential to generate discussion. This is your chance to share your passion for your field with others.

As an Artist perhaps there is something that fascinates you about science. Science is transforming our world and our lives. Scientists can be seen as wizards, creators, destroyers, heroes, and the area of science commands incredible respect and power. Or perhaps there is a particular kind of expertise that you need to realise your ideas. Artifact provides a unique opportunity to access such expertise.

There is an increasing interest in interdisciplinary art, and I believe that some of the most thought-provoking work can come from the collaboration of the ‘two cultures’. From a young age people are sorted into ‘those who can do science’ and ‘those who can do the arts’. I think this is an oversimplification of the human intellect, and something that I always found restrictive. After all, some of the best scientific ideas have come from thinking creatively, and many artistic mediums require considerable technical expertise.

This is why I jumped at the opportunity to get involved with Artifact. Bringing together some of the brightest minds from two world-renowned institutions is sure to have interesting results. I’m already very excited to see what the final exhibition brings!

There’s just 1 month to go until our big exhibition at Imperial, and there is still time to get involved!

Next Monday 10th June, 6pm, join us at Imperial’s Art Studio (behind Garden Hall, SW7 1NA) for another meeting session with fellow artists and scientists. It’s your almost last chance to meet a partner to collaborate with, as well as a massive, science-inspired artwork for us all to contribute to on the night. If you’ve already started on a project, bring it along (or some photos) so we can see how things are going. If you haven’t formed a partnership yet we’d love to see you even more, and hopefully by the end of the evening we’ll have a clearer picture of our plans for the exhibition.

This will be the start of regular Monday night sessions in the lead-up to the exhibition (which opens in July), so let’s start off with a fantastic turnout!

As we move ever closer to our exhibition in July (yes, this July), we’re going to start having more regular meetings to help finalise partnerships and encourage progress on works to exhibit. This will start next Monday 13th May, at 6pm, with an informal gathering for everyone involved – whether you are in a collaboration partnership or still searching, join us for a session of brainstorming or presenting work in progress. Whatever stage you’re at, we’d love to see you!

The meeting will be held in Imperial’s new Art Studio. This is on the ground floor of Garden Hall (number 4 on this map), and access is via the garden to the rear (follow the path on the map indicated for disabled access, the back door to the hall leads directly into the studio). We’ll email out a contact number on the day to help find us if you haven’t been before.

Hello everyone! Another term is about to start /or has started and many of you will have the dreaded ‘E’ word (not eggses) coming up, why not think about what you’d like to create in a break? We’ll be having another event soon, but in the meantime sign up on the website, find someone and maybe even submit a proposal for the exhibition!

Also, if you haven’t already, It’s well worth going to see ‘Light Show’ at the haward gallery. You might even get some ideas…

It is quite popular though, and finishes on the 6th of may so you need to get your skates on.